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Elderly parents

93yo mum in law struggling with digestive problems

9 replies

inlimbooncemore · 17/07/2024 15:22

My 93yo MIL lives independently and until recently has been managing with twice weekly visits from us but suffers digestive problems, periodic constipation, UTIs bloating and gas. She doesn't eat much but we encourage Complan and Actimel, and bring whatever food she fancies when we go. She gets about the house with the help of trolleys and a stairlift.
She's gone through phases over the last few years of being better and worse, it's as though her body gets out of kilter somehow and it takes a while to settle again, but this time it's taking longer.
She's on low level antibiotics permanently to help prevent the UTIs and keeps breakthrough antibiotics on hand if it recurs.
About 3 weeks ago she showed symptoms of a recurrence so took her breakthrough supply, she then seesawed between constipation and bouts of diarrhoea. She's now having diarrhoea most days since and is experiencing periodic double incontinence. DH is staying to look after her but he's now struggling to get her to eat or drink anything. He's also discovered somewhat to his horror, that the liver cyst she was diagnosed with years ago is protruding, and is about the size of an apple. We don't know if it's increased in size or if it's more apparent because she's lost weight and he didn't want to ask her in case it triggered her anxiety.
The GP has taken a urine sample which will take a few days for results and has said if she's still having diarrhoea tomorrow he wants a stool sample, but we're worried we're not doing enough to help her.
Does anyone have any experience of similar, particularly the liver cyst. DH is very close to his mum so we want to do the best for her. Thanks.

OP posts:
Bearpawk · 17/07/2024 15:24

I would encourage the stool sample, until she has a diagnosis or referral from the gp there's not a lot you can do apart from advocate for her at appointments etc.

Freshair87 · 17/07/2024 15:32

No real help, but antibiotics are known to affect the bacteria in your stomach and send things off kilter, they certainly do for me. I know there's other issues to deal with but I would do some research for some good probiotics that support health of your microbiome

inlimbooncemore · 17/07/2024 16:14

Thank you both, I think this might be part of the problem, she does take an actimel every day, but she's off yoghurt and says any sort of vegetable, let alone fermented would just make her bloating worse.
I suppose there really isn't much else we can do other than keep giving love and support. I know she's anxious about dying too, which must be awful. I thought things were bad for my mum who's got advanced vascular dementia, but at least she seems happy and unaware. MIL is all too aware of her situation unfortunately.

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 17/07/2024 16:17

Low level antibiotics are known to cause gut problems.

I'm not sure there's much you can do about that if she needs them for other reasons.

Beth216 · 17/07/2024 16:39

Coming off the antibiotics would probably solve most of her problems by the sounds of it as they can be very hard on your gut. Has she tried drinking and weeing more to try to prevent the uti's? Some people are genetically prone to them though unfortunately.

My mum (70) took antibiotics and was so ill with diarrhea that she stopped taking them, tried a different lot and had the same results so stopped all together. They made her so ill and it took quite a while to return to normal, she regretted ever starting.

I'd suggest small, frequent low fodmap meals and lots of water ideally - but at 93 that's probably a big ask. Perhaps check out low fodmap fruit and veg though to suggest to her to try in small amounts.

NoBinturongsHereMate · 18/07/2024 16:01

Things like actimel don't have huge levels of probiotics. Tablets would give her a bigger dose and potentially more variety.

NoBinturongsHereMate · 18/07/2024 16:02

And you could try D-mannose instead of the preventative antibiotics.

olderbutwiser · 18/07/2024 16:12

Increasingly round here GPs are prescribing oestrogen cream to older women to plump up the tissues and help prevent UTIs. Often diahorrea in the elderly is secondary to constipation - look up overflow diahorrea - and the natural inclination to use diahorrea meds like Imodium just makes the problem worse. But lots of good suggestions above.

Alternatively, just go with the flow - advocate for her and give her love and support.

I hope I can come to terms with dying - it must be awful to be scared of dying when you know it must come fairly soon.

CheshireCat1 · 18/07/2024 16:31

Has she been referred to the continence team

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